The Falling Man at The Musée Rodin, Paris

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The Falling Man' is showcased in 'The Gates of Hell', where he takes on the form of a 'Climbing Man', securely attached to the lintel and top of the left door. Rodin likely didn't originally envision this element as a fixed piece on both the left wing and the box-like tympanum above it, because installing it there would have made it impossible to open the door. Elsen speculates that Rodin positioned this overlapping figure around 1886, after realizing his 'Gates' wouldn't serve as a proper doorway due to the non-construction of the planned Museum of Decorative Arts. Audeh highlights a formal similarity between 'The Falling Man' and Josef Anton Koch's representation of Inferno at Casino Massimo in Rome. Although it cannot be confirmed whether Rodin was familiar with Koch's work, Audeh proposes that Rodin derived his 'Falling Man' from Dante's account about the Barrators (Traitors in Public Office) caught in a pit of boiling tar, harassed by devils with taloned forks as they desperately tried to escape their torment. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan The World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we're creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.